JACQUELINE HOLLAND-BERKLEY

Ever present and always enduring in Berkley’s life has been the journey of making images. Whether she is developing concepts on paper, canvas, or metal plates, she strives to draw honest and intriguing lines, to investigate the beautiful, as well as the odd, and to illuminate the common.

Berkley’s goal in creating her art is to convey a sense of mystery and awe. Her human forms, abstracted rather than literal, are placed in an environment of graphic symbols and universal patterns derived from primitive cultures.

In her artist statement about her new work she says this: “I am in the midst of creating a visual dialogue of abstracted and primal figurative paintings. These paintings are narrative and convey symbolic keys to moments in life.”

The energy and application of the surface is important as I build multiple layers of rich pigmented oil and I feel that it is important to be spontaneous and raw. I try to allow the images to reveal themselves to me as much as possible while I push to abstract line, color and form…

In this way I feel that I am remaining truthful and honest to the artistic impulse and the process of painting always remains a joyful discovery each time I approach the canvas. I have drawn much influence from Diebenkorn, and the California abstract figurative painters and also many more primitive cultures. Still it would be hard to place this body of work in a clear category…perhaps Nouveau Figurative.”

Berkley received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Art Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. She went on to teach art in the elementary public school system before pursuing a full time career as an artist.

Over the years, she has received numerous awards and exhibited in galleries and museums across the country.

Her work can be found in many notable private and public collections including Disney Corporation, Exxon Corporation, Universal Studios, Federal express, Larson Juhl, Inc, and the Ritz Carlton Corporation.